Homeless misconduct downtown needs greater attention, council says

Homeless Army veteran Edgar Ellington, 63, stands at the front of a long line to receive free clothing, shoes, sleeping bags and other supplies at the Civic Center during the ninth annual Stand Down for Homelessness event. (Savannah Morning News)

Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson and other council members are calling on city leadership to develop a more aggressive position to curb increasing reports of misconduct among the homeless downtown.

At Thursday’s City Council meeting, Jackson said residents and business owners were complaining about disruptive behavior, which included at least one report of a homeless person snatching a customer’s food off an outdoor table on River Street. Mayor Pro Tem Van Johnson, who represents downtown, and Alderman Tony Thomas also said they were hearing from constituents worried about public urination, belligerent demands for money and downtown squares and park benches used for sleeping.

“We realize we have a homeless problem in this community, but we also realize we don’t need people harassed in this community” the mayor said. “The homeless need to be respectful of the residents and the tourists. We aren’t going to tolerate the things they’re doing.”

Business operators along River Street echoed those concerns, and added that vagrants are rummaging in trash cans for food or are congregating in Rousakis Plaza near the ferry launch, which can be intimidating to visitors.

“We’re a tourist town,” said Denise Scott, who manages Washed Ashore, a clothing and accessories shop. “You don’t want to see a bunch of homeless people asking you for money. It just doesn’t look good.”

Nick Pappas, owner of the Olympia Cafe, has a front-row seat to many of the problems.

“People come here and they see these people traveling with dirty dogs or pushing flowers at them, and the tourists don’t want to come out at night,” he said. “They’re afraid to take out their wallets on the street. We need to clean up our act. It’s getting worse by the day.”

In September, a homeless man was charged with voluntary manslaughter after he and another man tumbled over the railing at the edge of the river walk near the Hyatt. Michael Myers managed to climb out, but Willie Miller didn’t. Witnesses reported that Miller was drunk and had been following Myers and another homeless man shortly before the two fought about 9 p.m.

Other business operators think the colder weather put a chill on some of the panhandling activities.

Police Chief Willie Lovett had already scheduled a meeting Thursday with some concerned downtown business leaders, and he said they are developing a response plan.

The city has taken some other recent steps.

Wright and Chippewa squares have had recent upgrades, and trimming back looming azalea bushes was done partly to reduce camp sites for homeless. Park benches on Wright were reduced and moved away from sidewalks to reduce the opportunity for sidewalk peddling.

Savannah’s Citizen Office temporarily ceased issuing any of its free permits that are required to sell palm-frond roses or to perform.

The Citizen Office tracks problem vendors and can ban troublemakers. It has 14 with revoked permits, three banned and two who have been notified with cease and desist orders. That will allow police to make an immediate arrest if they are downtown attempting their once-permitted activity.

The Citizen Office has three downtown enforcement officers who monitor compliance, but any more serious issues, such as public urination or panhandling, become a police matter.

The Citizen Office and downtown Savannah-Chatham police officers also coordinated a recent blitz along River Street as a show of force.

The problems aren’t centered only on River Street. Homeless men rummaging through garbage have been seen on Broughton Street and men who appear to be passed out aren’t an unknown sight on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Johnson puts part of the problem on the upheaval earlier this year with leadership of the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless. Former City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney, saying she was worried about the group’s leadership, temporarily froze funding, which led to the board ousting its executive director.

“I believe when that fiasco happened, we limited the impact of those working in homelessness,” he said. “It has to be a coordinated system of helping citizens who have no home.”

Some of the authority’s efforts include monitoring homeless people who need medication for mental health issues.

Authority staff members said there are two levels of homeless. Most are local residents who want to work through the system to receive services and get back to a more stable life. Others are transient population who resist efforts to assist.

An authority survey this year found that at least 4,200 people needed help.

In other action, council unanimously approved Brooks Stillwell assuming the title of city attorney and formally named James Blackburn as city attorney emeritus.

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Van " puts part of the problem on the upheaval earlier this year with leadership of the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless. Former City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney, saying she was worried about the group’s leadership, temporarily froze funding, which led to the board ousting its executive director".

From all I've read and heard Van supported Rochelle 100%. Now that some have seen her for the worthless person she is, he is throwing her under the bus. I say throw all of her supporters under the bus when it comes time for the next election. Van included. Van plans on running for Mayor after Edna gets her two terms in. that's been the plan all along, even when Otis the worse mayor Savannah has ever endured was in office. There is a reason Van is Mayor Pro Tem. It's all part of the greater plan.

The PD used to have officers dedicated to working with the homeless. What happened to that?

It wasn't that long ago I read about the city clearing out some homeless camp off of President, but it's obvious the camps still exist from the homeless you see every morning and every evening as they leave in the morning and return in the evening.

That's it Willie, have a meeting! That will show the disruptive transient population our resolve. Again, police presence is the only way to discourage this activity and dilute the urine smell on Broughton street,

Yes, two homeless men had an altercation and fell in the river,one hit his head and died. However, I work downtown and daily see tourists and locals urinating in the alleys.
As far as a homeless person taking food off a table and pandering..I'd rather have a homeless person ASK me for change than to ROB me at GUNPOINT (local thugs answer to employment) !! I'd rather have a homeless person try to SELL me a flower they've made than TAKE THE LIFE OF ONE OF MY CHILDREN during A ROBBERY !!
The MAYOR and POLICE CHIEF are a JOKE !!
Address the REAL issues in this city !!
Nick Pappas ...umm people are more concerned with their familes blood being spewed on these streets than when a persons dog was bathed last !!

Instead of complaining about the behavior of homeless people or harassing homeless people I hope city leaders develop a proactive plan to help reduce the number of homelessness especially since the weather is getting colder.

The ones still one the streets are drug addicts and drunks that refuse to go to any program. We dont need to pity these people we need to run them out of our town. If anyone thinks that's harsh please feel free to go down there and take a few home with you. Make sure you keep your pistol close because they will probably rob you in the process. But other than that Please take a few home then get back with us on how we should handle this problem.

I have only lived here for about five years but I am so tired of issues only being addressed once downtown has been affected.

Don't get me wrong; I am glad that we have downtown. I don't go downtown at night by myself, however.

After sending an email to Mayor Pro Tem (who also represents my district) what he would like to do about the various public safety issues in the area he forwarded my email to the crime prevention officer. The CPO is a hard-working gentlemen who's doing his best. I still wonder why the Mayor Pro Tem never said what he would like to do for his district. I wasn't expecting a miracle overnight but I would have at least liked to read his thoughts.

What's a resident to do? It gets tiring after a while. All I would like to do is help my neighborhood.

The first place to start elimination of homeless people in Savannah is the Greyhound bus station. There are people with one way tickets from our neighboring cities being sent here. Some have court orders to never return to their once place of residence. Therefore, Savannah have the responsibility to feed, house and clothes people. Some have mental disorders and need more than just food and clothing. Homelessness can happen to anyone of us living paycheck to paycheck but we have to be willing to put in the time and effort to take advantage of the programs being offered. For the ones who don't want any help and just want to roam the streets and do as they please should have stipulations placed on them. There should be one location they are allowed to go and not venture from. That way officials can keep up with where they are and make sure they are doing the right thing. I don't think that is too harsh, just fair. Once they leave the bus station and don't have a particular place of residence places such as the old Allied building should be available to house these people until something is available to help them. If not they will need a one way ticket to someplace other than Savannah. Our mental health system is much over crowded also. Milledgeville should be a stop for those in need of very serious illnesses. Many jobs can be developed for Savannah's unemployed to get this program up and running. We can call it "HELP FOR HOMELESS".

Soooo tired of constantly catering to the downtown business people. Tourism money is a very selfish money it does not trickle down. When have you heard of Marriott donating anything to our community.While I understand we have to take care of our tourists and crimes by the homeless are just as bad, when are problems going to be addressed seriously and honestly. When is this group of entrenched council members going to leave. They are out of touch with the rest of Savannah.Downtown is now their only concern, and it shows.

to travel on airplanes or Amtrack so Greyhound is the only option they have if they don't own a car. "There are people with one way tickets from our neighboring cities being sent here." That theory sounds far a field. Who in their right mind would want to send their homeless here? The voices of inconvenience are sounding off on this forum. If the homeless were confined to one section of the city say that shelter on Bull Street next to what used to be David's Supermarket, this topic wouldn't even be coming up.

Do you honestly believe if all the homeless were confined to one area, this wouldn't be a topic? Unless they were far from civilization, it would be a topic regardless of the neighborhood. I don't think those living in the old David's Supermarket area would appreciate the thousands of homeless in the area being confined there. you can change the neighborhood to any area you want, and my opinion is still the same. You really do try hard to make everything about race don't you? The truth is, I see more white homeless than blacks not that it matters one way or the other to me.

Savannah and Chatham County are FULL of homeless people. The numbers are in the thousands, not that anyone has a true count. Invisible had a good post earlier. There are the homeless who need some help getting back on their feet to become self-sufficient again and then there are those who want to remain homeless because they don't want to work or change their life.

Bottom line is who really wants to pay extra tax dollars to take care of the homeless who don't want to do anything with their life? You cannot help those who refuse to help themselves.